Chapter Five: Rin's Thoughts of Sesshoumaru
Rin had known that something was off in her forest. Immediately she had gone to discover it. She had been sitting by the small stream beside her hut, when a bright flash of light, intermixed with a dark light, had flown over head. She had frowned and raced after it, wondering if the sun had fallen, taking a part of the night sky with it.
Being as quiet as she could on her feet, she tiptoed into the bushes where the bright light had faded, and poked her head out from behind the tree. It was a person, dressed all in white. Rin had taken a step to the side to inspect it closer, and the person had sat up. It had been Lord Sesshoumaru. Looking over at him, she smiled a little smile.
She had seen furious red eyes, although thinking on it more, frowning, were they in fact eyes? Her mother had once said that people who were angered, incredibly so were set into a blind rage. Mother had said that blind rage took over all reason setting that person into a blood lust. His eyes had looked like blood. Lord Sesshoumaru's face had even changed, but it didn't faze Rin, when she had thought about what her mother had said.
Gulping, knowing to be very slow, she had entered the clearing, putting on a brave face hoping that this person had only been in a blind rage, but would be calm once he saw her intentions. Stopping in her tracks she had stared at him, and he had stared at her, both in silent contemplation, as if he had been scrutinizing her as much as she had been him. Almost immediately she had realized that he wasn't human. But something more, but she couldn't place her finger on it.
She turned away, knowing he was injured. The shoulder of his hakama was torn, and his face looked like he had barely escaped a fire. As she exited the clearing, she raced to the river after having snapped her fingers, remembering what her mother had said about burns and smoke inhalation. Dehydration, he needed water to re-hydrate himself.
Racing to her hut, she grabbed her water jug and ran to the river filling it completely with water. Grunting under the weight of it, she practically had dragged it back to the clearing, and saw his eyes open. He was all but glaring at her, but his eyes held pain.
Looking down, she dragged the jug close to him, but if he was in a blind rage, he might attack her. Why wouldn't he? Everyone else did. Pushing the jug forward, she got to her feet, not once looking his way. It was respect keeping her eyes lowered, briefly remembering what her mother said about manners. Turning away, she left.
Kneeling beside some mushrooms, she looked around her for something to carry the fish she had stolen from the preserve, and the mushrooms she had gathered. Everyone liked mushrooms and fish, didn't they? Rolling her eyes, she saw a large leaf and quickly placed the offerings onto it. Getting to her feet, she quickly looked up noticing it getting really dark. Shrugging, the darkness didn't really bother her, as long as she could still see.
Retracing her steps, she was almost at the clearing, when she heard a low growl. It had come from that person in the clearing. Frowning, she pursed her lips and entered the clearing, as silent as her little feet would allow. She had gotten to the water jug which stood untouched, and placed the leaf beside it. Turning away again she almost jumped into the air when the person spoke in a soft but firm tone.
"Don't do such a useless thing. Your generosity is wasted, I don't need human food."
It was the first time in almost a full year that someone had even spoken to her. Turning her head, she looked at him, but his eyes were now closed and a calm expression graced his features. There were no frown marks signaling outrage, or disapproval, so she shrugged it off thoughtfully.
Rin sighed, breaking out of her thoughts. His voice had been soft, and controlled, not like those villagers who used to push, punch, yell and scream at her. Looking back down at her hands, Rin wondered if maybe her hands had caused some evil that the villagers didn't like. Was she evil? Was her heart shut off from everything, leaving her only happy? "Why?" She whispered, but started when she realized that it was the first real clear word that she had spoken.
Blinking happily, she looked up to see Jaken glaring at her and she grinned widely. Taking a deep breath, she got to her feet and raced to Ah 'Uh hugging each of them. The two headed dragon were her friends, she knew it instantly when she had seen them in the field after following Sesshoumaru, Lord Sesshoumaru, she corrected herself mentally.
Dropping to her knees, she curled up next to the dragon and closed her eyes, still smiling. When she awoke again, she was alone, except for Ah 'Uh who grazed near by. Looking around her, she shrugged her shoulders. 'They must go hunting in the morning.' She thought silently. Wondering if she would have to wake alone every morning, she yawned and looked around for food. She was really hungry. Shrugging her shoulders, she walked out of the clearing to where she had found the nuts and berries before.
Kneeling down, she began gathering the nuts. Placing them in a leaf, she stood up again and walked over to a pile of mushrooms growing by a tree, and began collecting those too. Once she had enough food, she started to bend over and pick the leaf up but she heard a hiss and a crack behind her. Startled, she spun around quickly and gasped at the large blue snake youkai behind her. The forked tongue flicked out, looking at her hungrily.
The anger flooded out of the youkai, and washed over her in a wave. Backing up she looked around her for help. There was no one around, even Ah 'Uh wasn't there. Panicking, she spun around and started to run away.
Rin didn't get far before the snake wrapped itself around her tiny form, and she screamed, struggling frantically. Lifted into the air forcefully, she suddenly found herself falling. Landing onto the ground hard, she heaved trying to catch her breath. The blue snake's tail landed beside her and she stared at it in horror. It was dead. Lifting her gaze, she looked over and saw her rescuer and she gasped again.
It was Lord Sesshoumaru. He turned around and regarded her silently for a moment, and then lifted his head as Jaken came out of the bushes beside her.
"Stupid human. You can't wander off like that and take Lord Sesshoumaru from his duties." Jaken scolded, shaking his staff at her, chastising her.
Rin nodded, and looked back to where Lord Sesshoumaru had been, but he was gone.
Jaken turned around and vanished back through the bushes, and Rin quickly got to her feet following after them. Her eyes traveled back to her leaf of food, but it was now scattered across the forest floor and she sighed. She was still hungry, and she frowned.
Exiting the trees, she entered the clearing and saw Jaken shaking his head, and Sesshoumaru standing staring at the sky. Taking a deep breath, Rin walked over to him and stood beside the tall youkai.
"Thnk-uu." She whispered.
Sesshoumaru twitched and looked down at her. Her speech was improving and he snorted in approval. Kneeling down, he looked at her closely, searching for injury. "You are not injured?"
"No." Rin whispered shaking her head.
Nodding, he lifted his hand and his finger trailed the side of her neck. Lifting his hand away, Sesshoumaru held his finger out showing her a small trace of red on it. "This does not hurt?"
Rin stared at his finger for a moment, before her own hand went to the small scratch on her neck. It was so small, that she hadn't noticed it. "No." Rin told him, holding her hand away from her neck.
He stood up and turned away from her. The girl's stomach rumbled and he lifted both his brows at the sound. "Jaken has some food."
"Yes." Rin grinned and raced over to the toad youkai happily.
Jaken grumbled as soon as she sat down beside him. "Here girl." He sighed, handing her fish and other stuff that she couldn't quite put a name to. Eating happily, she let her eyes trail around the clearing. Once she had finished, she saw Jaken put the fire out, and seemed to get ready to leave. Brushing off her knees, she turned to stare at Lord Sesshoumaru curiously. It appeared that they were going to leave the little clearing, and she ran up to a place behind him, waiting for him to choose his direction.
He didn't even glance at them as he began walking, seemingly uninterested in where they were headed. Ah 'Uh stomped behind her, and she grinned. She had no idea where they were going, and at the moment didn't care, just content to follow behind him obediently. In Rin's mind she would do everything in her power to help in anyway she could.
Glancing down at her hands again as she walked, she wondered what it was about her that everyone hated. Ever since her parents and brother died, everyone scorned her as if it had been her fault. Startled, she wondered if it was. Taking a deep breath, she ran to catch up to Lord Sesshoumaru and Master Jaken. Smiling broadly however, shaking those thoughts from her head, she realized that she had new friends now. They didn't strike her, or shun her or judge her, they were only silent.